Money clip alarm for a cash drawer

ABSTRACT

A compartmented insert for a cash drawer is provided with a money clip which includes a pivotally mounted drop actuator retained in a raised position by a paper bill inserted in the clip. The actuator is positioned over an opening in the bottom of the insert through which protrudes a control switch mounted on the bottom of the drawer. The control switch is normally closed when its switch arm is raised and is connected to an alarm circuit which is energized when the paper bill is withdrawn from the clip to unblock the actuator which pivots downwardly and engages the control switch arm to move the arm downwardly to an opened position. The alarm is especially useful in conjunction with operation of bank, or the like, security or surveillance systems.

United States Patent [191 Malta et al. 5] Apr. 3, 1973 541 MONEY CLIP ALARM FOR A CASH 1,903,535 4 1933 Scott ..340 2s0 DRAWER [75] Inventors: Jacob H. Malta, Doylestown; Harj f Examuler john Y rison E. Cassel Cedars both of Pa. sszstant ExammerScott F. Partridge Attorney-Smythe & Moore [73] Assignee: Schulmerich Manufacturing Co.,

Sellersville, Pa. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Nov. 23, 1970 A compartmented insert for a cash drawer is provided with a money clip which includes a pivotally mounted [21] Appl' 9l796 drop actuator retained in a raised position by a paper bill inserted in the clip. The actuator is positioned [52] US. Cl ..340/280, ZOO/6L6! over an opening in the bottom of the insert through [51] Int. Cl. ..G08b 13/02 which protrudes a control switch mounted on the bot- [58] Field of Search ..340/280; ZOO/61.61, 61.59 tom of the drawer. The control switch is normally closed when its switch arm is raised and is connected [56] References Cited to an alarm circuit which is energized when the paper bill is withdrawn from the clip to unblock the actuator UNITED STATES PATENTS which pivots downwardly and engages the control 1,534,363 4 1925 Day ..34o 2s0 switch arm to move the arm downwardly to an Opened 3,253,271 5/1966 Trupiano et al..... ...34()/280 position. The alarm is especially useful in conjunction 3,569,644 3/1971 Brogger et al. 340/280 X with operation of bank, or the like, security or surveil- 3,39l,623 7/1968 Tabankin ...340/28O UX lance systems, 3,383,673 5/1968 Garling ...200/6l.6l X 3,432,842 3/1969 Poznanski ..340/280 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATEHHZDAPRQ 197s SHEET10F2 30 INVENTOR s FHA ATTORNEYS MONEY CLIP ALARM FOR A CASH DRAWER Various forms of money clips have been installed in cash drawers for the purpose of actuating an alarm when a paper bill is withdrawn from the clip. A major problem with such money clip installation is the considerable difficulty encountered in modifying the existing cash drawers to permit mounting of the clip arrangement therein. In a typical money clip installation in a cash drawer, it is usually necessary to drill holes through partitions forming compartments in the drawer to bring out the wires from the clip. In addition, an electric plug and jack plus a push button switch are usually required in order to permit removal of the compartmented insert each night for storage in the vault. When it is desired to remove the insert from the cash drawer, the electrical circuit is disconnected at the plug and jack and the push button switch utilized as the insert is removed in order that the main alarm circuit is not broken. Breaking of the alarm circuit while removing the insert would cause a false alarm to be sounded.

In a similar manner, when the compartmented insert is positioned within the cash drawer, the plug and jack must be connected before the push button switch is opened in order to enable the money clip circuit to be connected into the alarm circuit. It is further necessary to install, at the rear of the cash drawer, a metal filler to hold the jack and push button. Side fillers are usually required to center the insert within the cash drawer so as to properly align the plug and jack. Not only are difficulties encountered in installing such a money clip arrangement in a cash drawer, but the complexity of a relatively simple device greatly increases the cost of providing such a protective measure for a cash drawer.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved money clip installation for a cash drawer especially useful in a bank security or surveillance system.

It is another one of the objects of the present invention to provide a money clip installation for a cash drawer which can be installed with a minimum of difficulty and can be readily connected or disconnected with an alarm circuit when a compartmented insert is positioned or removed from the cash drawer.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a money clip alarm for a cash drawer, for a cash register, and the like may comprise a removable compartmented insert positioned within the cash drawer. There is an opening in the bottom of the insert through which i a control switch having a switch arm and mounted on the bottom of the cash drawer protrudes when the insert is in position. A drop actuator is mounted for vertical pivotal movement within the insert adjacent the opening and is engageable with the control switch arm. Bracket means are mounted within the insert for retaining a paper bill therein in such a manner that the bill blocks the drop actuator in its raised position. The withdrawal of the paper bill from the bracket means unblocks the drop actuator whereby the actuator drops to engage the control switch arm to actuate the switch. The drop actuator may operate under gravity or by means of a spring and may be provided with a weight on its free end to assure dropping of the actuator when the paper bill is withdrawn. A horizontally extending recess may be provided in the drop actuator to receive a portion of the dollar bill when the bill is inserted in the bracket means. A housing may be provided for the control switch to prevent accidental tripping.

view of the money FIG. 6 is a schematic showing of the electrical circuit of the control switch; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic showing the circuitry of the prior art;

Proceeding next to the drawings wherein like reference symbols indicate the same parts throughout the various views, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

In FIG. 1, there is generally indicated at 10 a cash drawer such as might be used in a cash register or the like. The drawer 10 is provided with a bottom wall 11, side walls 12 and 13 and end walls 14 and 15. End wall 14 is the front end wall and is provided with a handle 16.

In the interior of the drawer, an angle bracket 17 is mounted which functions both to position a compartmented insert indicated generally at 18 and to stop any sliding movement of the insert within the drawer.

The elements of the money clip installation which are mounted in the drawer comprise a precision trip control switch 19 (FIG. 2), such as a Micro Switch, a trademark of Micro Switch, Freeport, Illinois, a division of Honeywell, lnc., having a switch arm 20 which is normally in its raised position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 wherein the switch is closed. Positioned on the bottom wall 11 of the drawer 10 is a housing 21 which completely encloses the control switch but for an opening 22 so as to obviate the accidental tripping of the switch. The housing 21 with its control switch 19 is positioned so as to protrude upwardly through a correspondingly shaped opening 23' formed in the bottom 23 of the insert 18.

The insert 18 is provided with a plurality of partitions 24 which divide the insert into a number of compartments of a suitable size to receive paper money.

The money clip is indicated generally at 25 in FIGS. 2 and 3 and comprises a unitary integral base 26 molded from a suitable synthetic plastic and formed with a compartment 27 enclosed by side walls 28 and 29 and front and rear walls 30 and 31.

The base is provided with two countersunk openings 32 for receiving screws by which the entire money clip assembly 25 is positioned and secured to the bottom of the insert 18 so as to project over the openings 23' in the compartment insert 18.

A second element of the money clip assembly 25 comprises an actuator lever 33 which is pivotally mounted at 34 to the unitary intergral base 26. The actuator lever is provided with spaced arms 35, 36 so as to define a horizontal recess 37 into which a paper bill may be inserted as will be presently described. The lower arm 36 of the actuator lever is also provided with a depending portion 38 which is engageable with the control switch arm 20. To facilitate the insertion of money bill, the actuator lever is provided with a finger or thumb support 39 and a stop 40. As will be evident from FIG. 2, the stop 40 limits the travel of the actuator lever 32 against the rear wall 31 so as to allow the recess 37 formed by the plate 26 and the base 26 to coincide with the recess 37 of the actuator lever 33. To

further facilitate the insertion of the paper bill, liberal radii 41, 42 are provided.

When the paper bill, such as at 43, is positioned on the base 26 and inserted into the juxtaposed recesses 37 and 37', the actuator lever will be maintained in the raised position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. Upon the withdrawal of the paper bill at 43, the actuator lever will be unlocked and under the force of gravity or a spring will drop downwardly through the opening 22 in, the housing 21 toward the control switch arm 20 to open the contacts 44 and 45 in the control switch 19. The alarm current will be broken and a suitable alarm will be given.

According to the present invention, the control switch is mounted in the bottom of the cash drawer and is not a part of the money clip assembly. Thus, the removal or positioning of the compartmented insert does not disturb in any way the electrical circuit connecting the control switchto the alarm. Further, the normally closed contacts of the control switch are utilized and it is not necessary that these control switch contacts be held in an open position by the inserted paper bill. The arrangement can be used to actuate a bank security or surveillance system such as shown, for example, in copending US. application Ser. No. 781,938, filed Dec. 6, 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,594,747 issued July 20, 1971.

It will be understood that various details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

opened.

1. In a cash drawer for a cash register and the like the combination of a removable compartmented money insert positionable within the cash drawer, there being an opening in the bottom of said insert, a control switch separate fromsaid insert and having a switch arm, said control switch being permanently mounted on the bottom of the cash drawer and protruding through said opening when the insert is in position in the drawer, an actuator mounted for generally vertical movement within said insert adjacent said opening and engageable with the control switch arm, bracket means mounted within said insert for retaining a paper bill therein such that the bill blocks said actuator in its raised position, the withdrawal of the paper bill from said bracket means unblocking the actuator whereby the actuator drops to engage said control switch arm to actuate the control switch.

2. In a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator drops under the force of gravity.

3. in a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 and comprising spring means urging said actuator downwardly towards said control switch arm.

4. In a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 and comprising, vertical side plates on both sides of said control switch extending above and beyond both ends of the control switch to prevent accidental tripping thereof.

5. In a cash register as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control switch is closed when its switch arm is in a raised position and opened when its arm is moved downwardly under the force of the actuator.

6. ha cash register as claimed in claim 1 and comprising an alarm circuit connected to said control switch and energized when said control switch is 7. in a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator has a horizontally extending recess into which a portion of the paper bill is inserted to retain the actuator in a raised position.

8. In a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 and comprising a weight on the free end of said actuator to assure dropping of the actuator when the paper bill is withdrawn. 

1. In a cash drawer for a cash register and the like the combination of a removable compartmented money insert positionable within the cash drawer, there being an opening in the bottom of said insert, a control switch separate from said insert and having a switch arm, said control switch being permanently mounted on the bottom of the cash drawer and protruding through said opening when the insert is in position in the drawer, an actuator mounted for generally vertical movement within said insert adjacent said opening and engageable with the control switch arm, bracket means mounted within said insert for retaining a paper bill therein such that the bill blocks said actuator in its raised position, the withdrawal of the paper bill from said bracket means unblocking the actuator whereby the actuator drops to engage said control switch arm to actuate the control switch.
 2. In a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator drops under the force of gravity.
 3. In a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 and comprising spring means urging said actuator downwardly towards said control switch arm.
 4. In a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 and comprising vertical side plates on both sides of said control switch extending above and beyond both ends of the control switch to prevent accidental tripping thereof.
 5. In a cash register as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control switch is closed when its switch arm is in a raised position and opened when its arm is moved downwardly under the force of the actuator.
 6. In a cash register as claimed in claim 1 and comprising an alarm circuit connected to said control switch and energized when said control switch is opened.
 7. In a cash drawer as clAimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator has a horizontally extending recess into which a portion of the paper bill is inserted to retain the actuator in a raised position.
 8. In a cash drawer as claimed in claim 1 and comprising a weight on the free end of said actuator to assure dropping of the actuator when the paper bill is withdrawn. 